Sign letter



Oct. 3, 1950 A. H. MARSH 2,524,294

SIGN LETTER Filed Sept. 25, 1947 1 2 a if ALFRED I 'TYiKESI-I BY Ilu ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1950 SIGN LETTER Alfred H. Marsh, Swarthmore, Pa., assignor to Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 25, 1947, Serial No. 775,996

This invention relates to an illuminated sign construction, and more particularly to a sign formed of a plurality of letters or other indicia wherein each letter is mounted on an illuminated lamp box.

The subject matter of the present invention comprises, generally, a lamp box having a plurality of light bulbs therein, a letter character or other indicia formed of a transparent or transl-ucent glass, plastic or the like, wherein the letter or other indicia is moulded in the plastic so as to project outwardly therefrom, and a stencil plate adapted to fit over the projecting portions of the plastic sheet and secure the plastic sheet to the lamp box. After assembly of each letter or indicia, a plurality of the assembled letters and lamp boxes are mounted upon a common support and arranged in the desired manner for conveying intelligence.

Signs of this character are used out of doors and, accordingly, the signs are subjected to all types of weather conditions. As the stencil plate is usually made of metal, it is highly desirable to protect the plastic letter or indicia from abrasive action caused by possible slight relative move ment of the plastic letter and the stencil plate. Such signs are subjected to rain, snow, high winds, abrasive dirt and the like, and if abrasive substances become lodged between the stencil plate and the letter character at points of contact between the two, any slight relative move ment between the letter and stencil will scratch and damage the sign character.

The main object of this invention is to provide an illuminated letter or other indicia of the type above referred to wherein the stencil plate and sign character are sealed in such a manner to prevent the elements, abrasive substances and the like from becoming lodged between the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign character which may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stencil plate;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a continuous sealing gasket;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sheet of plastic having a letter or other indicia moulded therein wherein the character extends outwardly from the sheet;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a lamp box;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure l;

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 8-45 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken onthe line L-l of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 4.

Reference numeral ill indicates a fiat metal sheet having a portion l i cut therefrom, the cutout portion I i forming a letter character or other indicia. The flat metal sheet It has a flange i2 formed integrally therewith and extending at right angles thereto. The flange i2 is formed continuously about the plate ID. A plurality of screw-threaded studs [3 (see Figure 5) are welded to the rear portion of sheet it}. The sign character or indicia shown in Figures 3 and '7 is formed of a plastic sheet !5 which may be: either transparent or translucent and of any desired color. The sheet .I 51 has the letter or indicia l6 moulded therein so as to project outwardly therefrom, as clearly illustrated in Figure 7. A plurality of apertures I! are formed in the plastic sheet [5, and are adapted to register with the screw-threaded studs 13. A continuous groove I3 is formed between the flat surfaces of the plastic sheet I 5 and the raised letter portion l6 and surrounds the latter. A continuous sealing gasket 28,, shown in Figures 2 and 6, is adapted to fit in the groove it of the plastic sheet l5. The sealing gasket 2i! is preferably formed of sponge. rubber so as to be resilient and compressible and, if desired, the gasket may have any suitable type of adhesive therein for purposes later to be described.

The lamp box shown in Figures 4 and 8 is formed of metal and has a back wall 2| having suitable lamp bulbs '22 secured thereon in the customary manner. The back wall 2 i, side walls 23 and top and. bottom walls 24 are suitably polished or coated to provide reflecting surfaces on their inner sides. The front portion of the lamp box is of the open type, as clearly seen in the perspective view, and the top, bottom and side walls have a continuous flange 25 formed. integrally therewith. The flange 25 is provided with a plurality of apertures 26 which are positioned to be in alignment with the apertures ll of the plastic sheet [5 and the studs I3 of the metal stencil sheet Ill.

When assembling the unit, the sealing gasket 20 is preferably coated with a suitable adhesive and, thereafter, is positioned within the groove E8 of the plastic sheet 15. The metal stencil sheet I (i is then drawn into contact wit-h the sheet i5 that the studs l3 project through the apertures i1. Thereafter, the studs [3 are inserted through the apertures 25 formed in the flange 25 of the lamp box and the entire assembly is clamped together by drawing up nuts on the studs l3. As shown in the sectional views of the drawings, the sealing gasket 20 will come in contact with the rear side of the stencil sheet II] and will be compressed to a certain degree to thus provide an effective seal about the projecting portion l6 of the plastic sheet l and sealing the plastic sheet [5 to the stencil sheet H3. Further, a bonding action of the adhesive on the gasket will prevent relative movement between the plastic sheet l5 and stencil sheet [0.

From the construction shown, it is impossible for the elements, abrasive substances and the like to become lodged between the plastic sheet l5 and stencil sheet l0, and the plastic sheet will, accordingly, be protected from scratches and other damage.

I claim: Y

1. An illuminated sign unit comprising a lamp box having an open face, a plastic sheet having indicia projecting outwardly-therefrom, a stencil plate having a cut-out portion corresponding to the projecting portion of said plastic sheet, said plastic sheet having a continuous groove formed therein surrounding the projecting portion, a continuous sealing gasket positioned in said groove and contacting said'stencil sheet, and

meansfor securing said stencil, sealing gasket and plastic sheet to the open face of said lamp box.

2. An illuminated sign unit comprising an openfaced mounting box, a transparent sheet material with the desired matter formed thereon in relief and having a continuous groove formed at the base of said relief, a metallic stencil plate constructed to cover all portions of said transparent sheet not in relief, a continuous sealing gasket adapted to seat in said groove at the base of the relief in contact with said stencil plate, and means for securing said stencil plate, sealing gasket and transparent sheet to the open face of said box.

3. An illuminated sign unit comprising an openfaced mounting box, a transparent sheet material with the desired matter formed thereon in relief and having a continuous groove formed in said sheet at the base of said relief, a metallic stencil constructed to cover all portions of said transparent sheet not in relief, said stencil bent on the edges to form a box receptacle for said transparent sheet, a continuous sealing gasket adapted to seat in said groove at the base of the relief and in contact with said stencil, and means for securing said stencil plate, sealing gasket and transparent sheet to the open face of said box.

4. An indicia face unit for illuminated advertising comprising in combination, a metallic pan with the bottom perforated in the form of the desired indicia, a sheet of transparent material with the desired indicia raised thereon in relief and having a continuous groove in said sheet at the base of the relief, a continuous sealing gasket adapted to seat in said groove at the base of the relief and in contact with said stencil pan, and means affixed to said pan to secure said sealing gasket and transparent sheet therein.

5. An indicia face unit forilluminated advertising comprising in combination, a sheet metal stencil perforated in the form of the desired indicia; a sheet of transparent material equal in size to said stencil with the desired indicia raised thereon-in relief and having a continuous groove in said sheet at the base of the relief; a continuous resilient sealing gasket adapted to seat in said groove in contact with the stencil sheet; and means to aflix said stencil, sealing gasket and transparent sheet in cooperating relation.

6., An illuminating sign unit comprising an open face mounting block; a transparent sheet having a flat area and an area in relief projecting outward from the flat area and having a groove, extending along and adjacent to and enclosing the relief area; an opaque stencil plate having a cut-out area conforming in contour and approximately in size to the relief area of the transparent sheet and which is applied to the outer face of the transparent sheet, its imperforate area contacting with the flat area of the transparent sheet and its cut-out area aligning with the relief element of the transparent sheet, its imperforate area thus surrounding and enclosing the relief element of the plastic sheet; a gasket conforming in contour to the base of the relief area of the transparent sheet and sur-- rounding and contiguous to the margin of the cut-' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,253 Wiley et a1 May 1, 1917 1,482,790 Gmelin Feb. 5, 1924 2,147,748 Miller Feb. 21, 939

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Mar. 1, 1923 

